Run Into You
by MustLoveTakuya
Summary: Sora's life has been increasingly average as of late, so when she runs into the more-than-gorgeous Tai Kamiya, things are looking up. Multi-chapter Taiora!
1. At the Mall

A/N: Hey all! Thanks for checking out this fanfic. It's a Taiora, with Mimato. I hope you like it! Tai isn't introduced in this chapter, but he is in the next one. This chapter is shortish for my usual standard. By the way, they're all seventeenin this. Here's the infamous disclaimer we all look forward to.

Disclaimer: Okay, prepare to take notes: I don't own Digimon. Got that down? Scandal, I know.

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Why was I in this stupid place anyway? What was there for me here?

I hate the mall so freaking much.

Just then, I tripped over another stranger's foot. I was doing that a lot lately. And in a crowded place like the mall, it was bound to happen several times.

Being Sora Takenouchi meant being an ice-cream lover. So when I saw the ice cream stand across the way, I new what I was doing next. Crossing to the little place, I planned where I would go next. I needed to buy a new raincoat for the coming winter season. It was December first. Then maybe I would already be able to find a Christmas gift for my mother in some shop.

I got my mint chocolate chip ice cream on a cone, and turned off into another direction, looking for some kind of clothing store. When I found one with reasonable prices, I was about to head in, but a store clerk stopped me.

"Excuse me, I apologize, but you can't come in here with that ice cream. It's a store rule." There was a middle aged woman with dark hair talking to me.

I sighed. Did I want to finish my ice cream and come back later, or get out of this mall as fast as possible by disposing of the treat and going into the store?

Still not having made my decision, I threw my arm out to the right, and asked, "Is there a trashcan over there somewhere?"

Then I heard a high-pitched scream.

Whoops. Forgot the right hand had the cone in it.

I looked to my right. There was a girl about my age with pink hair that reached a bit farther than her shoulders. She had ice cream splattered all over her face.

I glanced down at my right hand, which still held the cone. It contained only mint chocolate-chip remnants. Apparently, the actual ice cream had flown from it and made contact with the girl's facial features.

She was seething, shaking with rage. In a low growl, she said, "You are so lucky I don't kill you right now. I would," she continued, nodding, "I would. But my arms are full of boxes and bags."

I looked at the wide-eyed store clerk lady in apology. Then I pulled the stranger girl into the nearby bathroom and said, "Let's get your face all washed up."

The girl glared at me through the green ice cream, and I helped her set her stuff that she had bought down. I got the sink running and she washed off her face. Then she looked at me and said in a monotone, "Was it really necessary to bomb me with melted green desert items, pelting me with the evil black chips they contain?"

I didn't know quite what to say to that. "Um…no?"

"Then why'd you do it?"

"It was an accident?"

The pink-haired girl sighed. "Okay, since you didn't hit and run," she said while I chuckled at the small pun, "I'm going to forgive you. I'm Mimi Tachikawa. Who are you?"

"I'm Sora Takenouchi."

She nodded and said, "Cool. I gotta get this stuff down to my car now. Maybe I'll see you around sometime."

"Yeah," I responded.

With a final "'Kay, bye," Mimi Tachikawa was gone.

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A/N: Did you like this chapter? Tell me so, and why! Don't worry if you thought this chapter was a little boring. The next ones are better! Thank you so much!


	2. The Run In

A/N: Here's the next chapter!!!!! IMPORTANT. Tai's introduced in this one. Okay, so you must know, I tried to be cool with the whole Japanese baseball proram thing, but I didn't really get it, so sorry if the system makes no sense. The seating thing was all out of whack but it's pretty clear what I meant. The Giants and the Bay Stars are two random Japanesse baseball teams I think. Now, sorry for any gramatical errors and so forth.

Disclaimer: So what's up is that I don't own this stuff. Not the Digimon, or the whole Japanese baseball deal. Sorry if you thought I owned it, becausei don't. Now read on!

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"Sora?" I heard someone call.

Then, I was standing in front of the Tokyo Dome, for a baseball game. I turned one hundred and eighty degrees and saw the pink-haired girl I had met at the mall a couple of days ago.

"Mimi!"

She waved me over. As I approached her, I noted that she was with four others. When I reached her, she launched into introductions.

"Hey Sora! Everyone, this is Sora." There were various greetings and nods of welcome. "Sora, this girl on my right is Yolei." Yolei had long purple hair and round glasses. She smiled brightly at me, and I returned it. "Next to her there is Ken." Ken had deep plum-ish hair and looked the silent type. He nodded at me in greeting. "On my other side is Izzy," Mimi continued. Izzy had short, deep red hair and eyes about as black as was possible. "Then last, but definitely not least, is Joe." Joe had deep blue hair and glasses. He looked a bit like the older-brother type of guy.

"Anyway, guys," Mimi said to her friends, "this is Sora. She dumped ice cream on me at the mall, but don't worry about it, we're cool now." Turning back to me, Mimi said, "So what brings you here, to this baseball game. You a fan?"

"Not really," I answered. "Soccer's more my thing. But my dad got me free tickets through work somehow."

"Cool. What do you think about the outcome of the game?" she asked.

"Giants," Izzy coughed roughly, pretending to hide his prediction with the cough.

"Bay Stars," Joe coughed in the same manner.

Yolei laughed, "They're for different teams, as you can tell."

I smiled. Mimi asked, "So where are you sitting?"

"Let's see…" I looked at my ticket. "Gate 23...B35 Seat 32? I really don't know how this works."

"Oh my god!" Mimi burst out. "So you're the person who split our group up! You're right in the middle of our seats. It's good that we get to sit with a friend!"

The group of the six of us went to find our seats. Once sitting down, I got up and said, "I'll be right back, I just want to get a soda real quick."

"'Kay, see ya soon!" Mimi responded.

I went to a concession stand and ordered myself a Coke. Upon receiving it, I turned around and began on my way back to my new friends.

Then I saw this guy.

He was freakishly good-looking.

I stood there, purely frozen to the spot by his, well, gorgeousness. Then my brain finally had time to process that he was coming my way.

His messy but oh-so-perfect brown hair topped his tanned features, shining chestnut toned eyes, and tall body. And this perfection was moving in my direction.

He was looking at something else. Off to the side. He was talking to it. But I wasn't concerned with what the godly creature was talking to.

I was concerned with worshipping him at the moment.

Suddenly, he was a foot away from me. Somewhere in the back of my head, I processed that he was going to run into me, but ignored the thought.

Crash!

And there it was.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said. His voice owned a tone that made my heart melt, spreading warmth throughout my body. And he was looking at me! He was looking at me!

I realized I should probably say something instead of standing there like a retard. "I, uh, it's- th-that is to say, I should, um…" Because I was making an utter fool of myself, I chose to turn and walk away as fast as I could.

Sitting back down with Mimi and the others, I was a little depressed.

Great. Chance missed. No, scratch that, chance completely blown. Never can I show my face again.

"Are you okay?" Mimi inquired nervously.

"Your cheeks are ruddy and the rest of you is pale as a ghost," Ken added.

"Yeah, I just…walked very fast on my way back," I answered unsteadily.

Mimi looked incredulous, but didn't say anything out loud. A little later, she leaned over and whispered to me, "When you're ready to tell me what's happening, I'm listening."

Damn. That girl was way too good at figuring stuff out.

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A/N: I'm going to restate what I said in the first chapter, everyone who's Sora's age is seventeen. You can work out the other's ages compared to that. Also, Sora and Mimi met at the mall on Friday, and the baseball game was on Sunday, just you like this chapter? What was it you liked? You know, you should communicate your thoughts and ideas to me. Through a **REVIEW!** Yeah. That's right. That's what I said. Out.


	3. This Specimen

A/N: Here's the much-anticipated chapter three! Just kidding, it wasn't really that anticipated, but i like to compliment myself to help my confidence, haha. Sorry for any gramatical or spelling errors I might have missed.

Disclaimer: Come here. Closer. No, even closer than that. Keep going, closer. I'm going to tell you a secret. Just a little closer now. Okay, there. **I DON'T OWN DIGIMON!**

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"You have a ride?" Mimi made sure.

"Yeah," I answered. "I drove here."

"Alright," Yolei joined in, "we can walk you to your car if you want. Where is it?"

"It's this way," I said. So the six of us walked to my car.

"I told you," Joe said to Izzy. "I knew the Giants would win,"

"What are you talking about? You were the one who predicted that the Bay Stars would win! And then when they lose, you flip immediately!" Izzy countered.

Mimi looked at me with a grin and said, "Boys will be boys." I was watching her and laughing when she continued, "Sora. Umm.. Sora? Sora!"

"What?" I asked.

But too late.

I collided with something solid. It hurt a lot. Then I looked to check out what I had made contact with.

Surprise, surprise.

"You again," the brown-haired boy laughed.

I was mortified.

"Boy," he said, "you just don't look where you're going, do you?" He was joking with me.

Mimi and Yolei had both stopped dead and were staring at him with wide eyes.

"She should," Yolei said, "It's a sight." She was trying to flirt, but her slight stammering and tone of voice kind of threw it off whack.

The guy nodded to her in greeting with a smile, and she looked like she was about to faint.

Some unidentified male voice interrupted, "We better go, Tai, or Kari'll flip out. You know how she gets worried about you."

This was the first time I noticed that there was a guy our age next to the brown-haired boy.

He had blond hair and piercing deep blue eyes. He really was very, very attractive, but it was hard to notice anyone else while standing in the presence of…Tai, as he had been called.

"I'm coming Matt, hold up a minute," he chuckled, carefree. "See ya," he told me, then turned and walked away with Matt.

Neither Yolei nor Mimi had moved. Ken, Izzy, and Joe were staring at them like they were lunatics.

"You…you kn-know that…specimen?" Mimi inquired slowly, scrambling for words.

At this, Izzy snorted and Joe broke into laughter. "You hear that, Joe?" Izzy asked, cracking up, "He's apparently so attractive, he's not human anymore. He's a…he's a _specimen_!"

While they were having their fit of laughter, Yolei and Mimi's shock died down. "Shut up," Mimi grumbled. She continued to me, "Now, Sora, he's a nice catch. Don't let him get away from you. Any guy that has the ability to make Mimi stammer on the first look is extremely special," she referred to herself in the third person. "However, Mimi will let you have him because you had first dibs. And plus, his friend there was pretty fine if I do say so myself. I got dibs on him."

"Oh, be quiet, Mimi," I said, hitting her arm, "It's not like I'm gonna marry him next time I see him. I don't think he's even that great." Lies. All lies.

"Uh-huh, sure, you just keep telling yourself that, alright?" she smirked.

We finally arrived at my car, so the others turned to leave with various goodbyes. I got into the driver's seat.

Just who was this Tai character anyway?

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A/N: How was it? If you liked it, tell me why in a **REVIEW!!!** I really, really appreciate those. Thanks for reading!!


	4. Hmph

A/N: Here's the fourth chapter of Run Into You! Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, and alerted! You make my month. I would be so overly depressed without you! For anyone who likes Mimato, I have a Mimato songfic up that no one's really reviewed, it's called "T-Shirt", so if you can, please check that out! Also, please vote in the poll on my profile! Anyway, I hope you love, love, love this chapter!

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I kicked the soccer ball around the field ferociously. I loved soccer. It was the one thing that I knew I would always be good at.

When I was finally exhausted, I collapsed onto the green grass of the park's soccer field. The sun was setting, blending into an orange-fuchsia brilliance. I forced myself up to endure more excruciating but satisfying physical exertion.

That was when he appeared again.

Tai was advancing toward me, with a lazy smile on his face. "What's your name anyway?" he called out to me, "because I can't seem to get you off my tail," he continued joking.

I quickly stood up to my full height, and asked, "Are you stalking me?" My tone was a little too hopeful for my liking.

"Of course," Tai nodded matter-of-factly, although he wasn't serious. "How else was I going to get your name?"

"Sora," I said, the beginnings of a grin on my lips.

"That's a really nice name," he said.

"That's a really nice pick-up line," I responded, chuckling. "I bet you say that to every girl you meet, don't you?"

I was being more brave than I usually was around guys.

"Only the pretty ones," Tai told me.

It's a good thing I wasn't one to blush easily.

"So, Sora," Tai began, "I see you've been playing soccer."

"Definitely," I replied with a smile. Where was he going with this?

His head snapped up from looking at the ball at my feet. He looked at me with a new competitive intensity. "Think you can beat me?" he asked quickly.

"Ah," I answered. "So that's what this is about. You play soccer too."

"Couldn't live without it," he said.

We both stood stationary for a moment. Then suddenly his feet were at the soccer ball, trying to make an escape with it.

I wasn't an amateur, though. I swiftly circled in front of him, and took it back, beginning to race down the field in the opposite direction.

And so we began our soccer game.

After a while of playing, we were even with two goals each. He was good, better than me, and I had to acknowledge that.

It was amazing what a different personality I obtain on the soccer field. Normally, I'm not overly assertive, but I'm extremely aggressive when playing. And to come in such close physical contact with a guy like Tai would usually have me stumbling and mumbling, but not with the soccer ball at my feet.

Tai and I were both exhausted by the end of our round of one-on-one. "You're pretty good," he told me, grinning.

I didn't say it, but I was thinking, _and you're pretty hot_.

If I had couched my thoughts in that way, I don't think I would ever be seeing Tai again, for he would run off, scared and weirded out.

"Anyway," Tai sighed, "I gotta get back to Kari before long, or she'll worry."

Kari.

Kari?

I wanted to ask if that was his girlfriend, but no words came out. My lips were practically glued together for an unknown reason. So instead, I just nodded stiffly.

With a final laugh (Tai seems to laugh a lot for no reason), and a 'see ya', Tai was on his way.

Walking to my apartment, I imagined a girl with lustrous, beautiful blonde hair, even-toned skin and blue eyes. In my mental picture, she had her arms around Tai's neck and was smiling with her brilliant white teeth. _Kari_. Hmph.

Tai's girlfriend _Kari _must be pretty damn possessive. First Tai's friend Matt said that Kari would flip out if Tai didn't return to her soon, and hadn't Tai just said that Kari gets worried when he's gone long?

Whatever. I was so done with thinking about this Kari business anyway.

When I got home, I did a final flop onto my bed, fatigued.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! Now, please go and **REVIEW!** because i loooooooooove when people do that. And please tell me what you liked about the chapter, or any advice you might have for me. I thought it was pretty hilarious how dramatic Sora's being when she doesn't even know Kari's relation to Tai, which is actually familial. Haha!


	5. Investigationing

A/N: Here's the fifth chapter! I hope you like it. It's winter time in the story, remember.

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"This is nice," I said, entering through the doorway.

"Thanks," Mimi said. I was at her apartment, in her room.

She sat on her bed, and I mimicked her actions. "So," she began, "tell me about that run in with Tai."

"It was really random," I started. "I was playing soccer at the park. I looked up, and he was magically there." I laughed, and then continued, "And then we played a game."

"A soccer game?" Mimi inquired.

"Yeah," I answered.

"Who won?"

I shrugged. "It was a tie for awhile, and then we both lost track."

"Oooh. Well, sounds like fun," Mimi said, winking. Then she got up and turned on the radio. "I love this song!" she exclaimed when "Ain't no Other Man" by Christina Aguilera came on. After listening for a bit, she continued, "You know, this should be your anthem for your relationship with Tai or something."

"My relationship with Tai?" I asked. "What relationship? I hardly know him. It's not a big deal." It so is a big deal.

"How can you lie to yourself like that?" Mimi questioned. "It's obvious how much you like him. And who wouldn't like him? He's way hot!"

My eyes narrowed slightly, and Mimi revised, "I mean, not that I'm intruding on your territory or anything. His blonde friend there was also way hot. I think I'll go for him. Matt, was it?"

I nodded. "But here's the deal. I think Tai's got a girlfriend."

"No way!" Mimi yelped. "Well, I suppose it's likely. I mean, how could someone like that not be taken? Although, the same probably goes for Matt. Looks like we're out of luck, Sora."

"I guess so," I agreed.

Mimi and I sat like that for a couple of seconds, when her head popped up. "We should do some investigationing," she said.

"Don't you mean 'investigating' or 'investigation'?" I corrected lightly.

"No, I mean 'investigationing'. It's my own little word I made up."

I blinked. "If anything, you sure are unique, Mimi," I told her, laughing as I did.

"I know!" she grinned. "Now, let's get to it!"

"Get to what? Where do we even begin? It's not like I've ever done this kind of thing before!" I whined.

"Relax, it's easy." The pink-haired girl turned to the computer. "Let's see," Mimi said, while typing in the search engine that came up. "Tai…Odaiba…shall I put in our neighborhood too? Yes, that'll be a good idea…"

I waited. This was going to be impossible.

A second later, Mimi let out a little noise of satisfaction. "I found him!"

"What?" I was shocked, and bounded off her bed to crouch behind her at the computer.

"Yeah, he's on his school's website, he's on the soccer team!" **(A/N: Matt and Tai go to the same school, Mimi goes to another school, and Sora also goes to a different school. A little weird, I know.)**

"I'm not surprised," I told Mimi. "He was awesome at the park."

Mimi nodded in understanding. "Hmm. Tai Kamiya, won MVP last school year on his team. He's in our grade. Speaking of school, I'm so glad everyone's finally on winter break! Continuing on, there's a picture of him playing soccer. Right there, see it?"

"Yeah, I see it," I replied, eyeing the picture of him on the field, in his school colors on the soccer uniform.

"Alright, now that you've got your info, it's my turn," Mimi declared mischievously. She hit the back arrow a couple times to return to the initial search engine page. "Matt…Odaiba…"

I let her do her thing. "Is it wrong that I feel stalkerish?" I asked.

"You'll get over it."

"Do you mean to say I'll be doing this a lot?"

"Maybe."

"Great," I chuckled, sarcastic.

"Found my guy!" Mimi stated happily. "He goes to the same school as Tai. He's on the school website because his band won the talent show last year. He's a musician, isn't that brilliant?"

"Of course," I laughed. Maybe this whole 'investigationing' thing wasn't so bad after all.

I looked out Mimi's window, watching the soft, light snow fall gently to the ground. It was the first snow of the season, and I couldn't help but compare the fluffy texture of the precipitation to the feeling in my stomach at the moment.

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A/N: So the ending is very cliche, but whatever. I meant to compare the snow to the fuzzy feeling she gets inside when she thinks of Tai, in case that wasn't clear. I thought it was a good way to close out the chapter. Please **REVIEW!** Thanks so much for reading!


	6. Enter, Matt

A/N: Hey hey hey! What's up, everyone? Guess what. I don't think I got a single review for the last chapter! Are you guys still interested in this story? I hope so, please review to let me know! Anyway, this chapter is mostly a Mimato chapter. I know the beginning's kind of confusing, but it makes sense when you read further into the chapter. Enjoy your reading!

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Tai held my hands in his gently.

"How many minutes until you have to leave?" I asked sadly.

"Fifteen, love," he answered. I loved it when he called me 'love'.

I sighed.

"Fifteen, love," he said again, louder.

"I know…" I responded.

"FIFTEEN LOVE! ARE YOU DEAF?"

What? I jumped, startled, and found myself tumbling off a bench and on to solid ground. I opened my eyes and saw the puffy clouds in a creamy blue sky. Where was Tai?

I rolled onto my side, and found a confusing sight.

Mimi was in a white tennis dress and visor, a racket hanging loosely in her hands. She was screaming at something across the way, "I TOLD YOU THE SCORE WAS FIFTEEN-LOVE, OLD WOMAN!!! I JUST SCORED!!!!" **(A/N: For those of you who don't know, 'love' in tennis is when you have zero points, and 'fifteen' is when you scored once.)**

I shifted my position to see that I was on the ground, on a tennis court. Mimi was shouting at an old woman. I guess she was having a tennis match against the old woman for some reason.

Reality melted into my core as I realized that I had only been dreaming of Tai.

I was a bit disoriented, but still tried to remember what had been going on before I drifted off.

That was when it all came flooding back to me. Mimi had been trying to convince me to learn how to play tennis. We had been standing on the court when some random old lady started motioning for one of us to come over to her. Mimi went. I don't know what the woman said to Mimi, but it got her fired up. The next thing I had heard was Mimi roaring, "WHAT?! ALRIGHT, WRINKLY, YOU'RE ON!"

And so, Mimi began her tennis match against a random old lady.

I moved back onto the bench I had been sitting on previously. Falling back against the chain link fence, it was easy to see how I had fallen asleep. I was so exhausted lately, and I'm not sure why.

"Hey!" someone called.

I turned around to identify the voice.

Tai's friend Matt was walking slowly towards me. It seemed he had been talking to me, because his eyes were focused on mine.

"Umm…hey?" I replied.

"You're Tai's friend, right? I think I saw you at the baseball game, and I think he's mentioned you once or twice," Matt said. He was now standing at the edge of the fence.

Tai's mentioned me once or twice? Angels started to sing.

Okay, I've really got to get over this obsession.

I answered, "Yeah, I'm a friend of Tai's. You're right, I remember you from the baseball game."

Matt nodded. "I'm Matt, Tai's best friend."

I was about to say, "I know," but I realized that we had never been formally introduced before then. It would be creepy. So, I settled for a nice, "I'm Sora."

"Who's this?" Matt inquired curiously, watching Mimi.

"That's Mimi…" I started. I found I didn't know quite how to introduce her. We'd really become close in such a short time. "…my best friend."

"Cool," Matt told me, "What's she doing?"

"Some old lady challenged her to a tennis match. She couldn't refuse. Typical Mimi, that is."

Matt laughed lightly.

"THERE, AGATHA! GAME! I WIN!" Mimi yelled.

The old lady, Agatha, apparently, waved Mimi off and left.

"Mimi!" I called. "Look who's here!"

Mimi was sporting a triumphant smile, the sun gleaming off her eyes after the tennis match win. She turned and looked at Matt and me. "Who?"

As she made her way over to me on the bench, Matt entered the tennis court, and sat down next to me. "I'm Matt," he stated. "I saw you and your friends at that baseball game."

Mimi searched her memory. "Sorry, don't remember," she said innocently. "But anyway, I'm Mimi."

Ah, so she was going to play it cool like that. Act as if she _hadn't_ practically been stalking him recently.

So Matt and Mimi got to talking. It was obvious he was into her, because they both pretty much ignored me after that point.

So, I got up and left them to themselves. Mimi'd be thanking me later. I smirked, and began the short walk home.

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A/N: Did you like this chapter? I hope so, I hope so! Give me advice and comments, support and such, by leaving a **REVIEW!!! **I do accept anonymous reviews. Tell me what you liked about this chapter! Thanks!


	7. Inferior

A/N: Don't strangle me! I know this is like, a week late, but deal with it, my computer was malfunctioning. Sorry for the kinda cruel cliffhanger at the end. It's not that bad. Now, read on!

Disclaimer: 'Kay, I know I haven't disclaimer'd all of my chapters but that's too bad. I don't own, Digimon, in case you hadn't noticed previously. *snaps moodily*. Lol.

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Down at the soccer field again. I ran around with the ball, but I was more…say, lethargic than usual. When I had had enough, I sat down on the empty playing field for a short rest. The sun was setting.

"Hey, Sora," someone called.

I recognized the voice, and it was definitely Tai's.

I turned my head slowly and asked, "Are you sure you're not stalking me? Are you positively sure?"

Tai grinned and answered, "Positively." He sat down next to me, cross-legged, and suggested that we play another one-on-one. "Up for another game?"

"Not really," I replied sluggishly, "I'm exhausted."

"That's cool," Tai stated, "I'd probably crush you anyway, so it doesn't matter."

"I'm so sure," I said sarcastically.

"I'm so sure," he said back. "What's been up lately?"

"Not much. Oh, she'll probably kill me for telling you this, but you know my friend Mimi?"

"The pink-haired one, right?"

"Yeah, her. She's got a major crush on your friend Matt," I told.

"Is that so?" Tai inquired, lying on his back. "Good, because she's all he can talk about."

"I thought so," I responded.

There was a comfortable silence, and I watched him close his eyes and rest on his back, hands behind his head.

"Sora?" he asked tentatively.

"Correctly identified. What's up?"

"Tell me something about yourself."

I thought for a moment. "Like what?" I needed something to base it off of.

"Something…I don't know, a random fact."

"Well, I used wear hats all the time. Like, helmet-round-type ones that hid my hair," I finally replied.

"You didn't like your hair?" he wondered.

"No, it's not that. I just…liked hats…a lot. My favorite was a blue one that I wore all the time," I explained.

"Why don't you wear hats anymore, then?" he asked lightly.

"Um, lost 'em all," I lied. In truth, some people used to make fun of me for my odd obsession, and the hat hair it gave me.

I hid them away in the closet.

I continued, "Now it's your turn."

"I used to wear these bluish goggles above my eyes. They were pretty kickass, but I gave them away." He said this all as he returned to a sitting position.

I nodded silently. "Anything else?"

"Oh, and, I'm really protective of Kari."

There we go again. She always has to ruin the moment.

Suddenly in a bad mood because of Tai's stupid girlfriend that I did not know was stupid because we had never met, I scowled.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm just cold," I responded, ditching the grimace.

Tai grinned. "If I had a jacket to give you, I would."

"I'd refuse," I smiled genuinely.

He shrugged. "I figured."

Suddenly, there was a screech. I turned around and saw Mimi ripping through the air towards me. Tai and I shouted a quick "hey" simultaneously in greeting. When Mimi reached us. She slapped her hands to her knees and panted.

"What are you, having a baby?" I smirked.

"No!" came her answer, "I just really, really need to tell you something." She swiftly pulled me up and aside, having regained her usual abundance of energy. Dragging me away from Tai, she laughed at my grumble.

"How'd you know I was here?"

"Not important," she said with finality; her hand swiped the subject away. "What's actually of significance is that I was talking to Matt-"

I chuckled, "You're always talking to Matt!"

Mimi glared. "Not important! Anyway, and, I figured out who Kari is!" she beamed.

I slumped. "Did you have to put me back into my bad mood?"

"No, listen-"

"I know, I know-"

"No, you don't," she concluded before I interrupted again.

"-she's that girlfriend of his. Nothing new."

"But wait!"

"Don't try to comfort me, I promise I'll move on soon."

"Fine!" Mimi huffed. "If you're really not going to listen to me, I'll be on my way!" She pivoted sharply and stormed off.

I strolled casually back over to Tai, who looked questioningly at me. I ignored this and continued rearranging my features so I looked content.

He stood up, and was taller than me once more. "What'd Mimi say?"

"Something about Matt, of course," I smiled. "She tends to over exaggerate importance at times."

Tai laughed.

Conversation ceased for a moment while I paused in thought. "Tai, why are you so carefree all the time?"

"I won't be carefree when I have too many things to worry about. Simple as that."

"That much is obvious," I giggled.

He walked closer to me.

"Tai?" I asked again.

"Yes?" His face was maybe four inches, at most, from mine.

"Why exactly do you hang out with me? Why do you like me? As a friend, of course, is what I mean."

Three inches.

"Because, you make me feel…how to word this…inferior."

Two inches.

"Everything you do, you do with such grace, and I feel like I can never measure up. But, I like that."

And he was talking about me?

It didn't matter. One inch.

I swore he was going to kiss me.

But I would never know, because his phone rang, then.

He stopped his movement, held it there for a minute, sighed, and turned around, answering his phone. "Hello?"

I heard the murmur of Matt's clear voice on the other end.

Tai dropped the receiver.

The cell phone crashed to the ground just as I crashed back onto Earth.

Tai turned back and looked at me, eyes wild. He provided no explanation when he took my wrist and ran clear off the soccer field and to his car.

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A/N: So, how waaasss it? Good? Not so good? Funny? Tell me in a **REVIEW** what you liked or didn't like about it, besides the length, because I know it might be still a bit short. The next one's going to long, I've got it planned out. Thanks!


	8. To the Kamiya Car

A/N: Damn! It wasn't nearly as long as I thought it was going to be! Oh well. I try, and I try, but I just can't write more than I feel is necessary for the focus of one particluar chapter. Shoot. Please review anyway. And, I'd like to thank my loyal readers and reviewers! You guys are TERRIFICALLY awesome. Oh, and if anyone's interested in a Daikari songfic, I just got one up, so you can read that if you like.

Disclaimer: I can't think of a joke or anything remotely funny to put here at the moment, so I'm just going to go right ahead and say that I do not own Digimon. Also, I named this chapter after something that was said in a review by The Digital Typhoon, so I don't own that either.

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"Tai?"

No answer.

"Tai? Where are you bringing me?" I asked, impatient.

We reached his car. He roughly opened the passenger door, and then pushed me inside. The push was gentle, but forcible. Then, Tai swiftly circled around to the driver's seat, and got in. He started up the engine.

I figured that we were going somewhere important, because Tai refused to talk to me, and he had left his cell phone on the grass back at the soccer field.

Asking questions would be futile, so I stayed silent.

We drove for ten minutes in this silence.

When we came to red lights or traffic jams, Tai would drum his fingers on the steering wheel with urgency. At one light in particular, he honked the horn of the car even though no one was doing anything wrong. I assumed he was honking at the light, because it remained red for longer than he thought was necessary.

A little further in the drive, Tai sighed and started, "Look, I'm sorry Sora."

I guessed that he meant he was sorry for practically kidnapping me. I didn't exactly mind, but the whole ordeal was a little unnerving.

We drove on.

I rolled down my window for a distraction. The scent of smoke burned clear in the air.

"There must be a fire somewhere nearby," I mentioned casually.

Tai laughed without humor. "There sure is."

I froze, then directed my eyes to the pillar of rising smoke hanging in the sky.

We were heading straight for it.

Soon, our car was surrounded by fire trucks and wailing sirens. Not fifty feet away was a burning building.

Firemen jumped in our path, but Tai drove until they were forced to move, or get run over. He parked the car in the middle of the road. It wasn't like anyone was using the street, as all the firefighters were already here, and all other cars were set on detours to avoid the burning area.

Tai got out of the car, so I did too. He pushed past firemen, quickly making his way to the fire with me right behind him.

"Stay here," he said, but I ignored the order. "Stay here," he said again.

No way was I staying there.

He soon gave up, and we ran towards the burning.

I thought about how I must've been crazy, because I was going to run into a burning building for Tai.

More firefighters tried to intervene, but Tai determinedly pushed them away, and leapt through the doors, as did I.

Soon, we were encompassed by fire.

Tai opened his mouth.

"Kari!"

That was when I realized hat I had run into a burning building not only for Tai, but for his girlfriend Kari, too.

It was Kari that was stuck in the fire somewhere.

It was hard even to hear Tai's yell over the roar of the fire. He dashed off through some opening in the flame, and I had lost him.

I was alone.

Exiting the front area through a different clearing in the fire, I ran around in no direction. I wasn't sure what I was doing. Was I looking for Tai, or Kari?

I couldn't believe it when I realized I was looking for Kari.

Suddenly, there was a muffled cry. "Tai," I heard faintly.

She had to be nearby.

I hesitated for just a moment. Was I actually going to save Tai's girlfriend? She was the one person I wanted out of the way…

And then a second later, when I had regained my sanity, I hated myself for even thinking of letting her die here. And I had actually considered it! I was disgusted with myself, beyond belief.

"Tai," came a sweet, pure voice, though tarnished by the fumes of fire.

I would save her. I was not a despicable person. I was someone of worth.

I didn't call out her name. I reasoned that hearing an unrecognizable voice would scare Kari more than comfort her. I made my way through the raging flame, on the way to locate her.

Then, a girl's silhouette appeared. She sat against a burning wall. The fire had not yet reached her. The smoke cleared enough for me to see her clearly.

A young girl with short, light brown hair looked up at me. She spoke again, asking for Tai, and her voice sounded with an elementary aspect to it. Youthful. She heavily resembled Tai.

And then I knew.

This girl was most certainly not Tai Kamiya's girlfriend.

She was his sister.

I hesitated enough to regret it. The fire was advancing toward us, and the wall would fall through any moment. I tried to pull Kari up, but she motioned to her leg.

Oh.

Of course, she would have run if she didn't have a broken leg.

It was held down by wall debris. I inferred that the crumbling and breaking of the wall had caused a chuck of it to fall onto her leg, and brake the bone in the process.

Throwing the still-hot wall piece aside, I saw that tiny grains of material had penetrated her skin. This could cause an infection later, but I couldn't worry about that just then.

I had to focus on getting Kari out of there.

Once her leg was freed, I picked her up. Carrying her and running at the same time, I searched for Tai. Had he given up and escaped?

No. It wasn't like Tai to do that.

My head whipped wildly to the sound of other footsteps.

Tai was here.

He looked only at Kari. Everything he had said about her in the past, I finally understood. It was apparent how much he loved and cared for his little sister. She had to be at least three years younger.

Together, we ran to the entrance, from which we had come in.

When we were safely outside, I passed Kari's limp form to Tai.

"Tai," came her raspy but angelic voice.

"She's got a broken leg," I mentioned. I sat down on the concrete.

Tai let her body unravel right-side up, and hugged her to him fiercely. Kari couldn't support herself on her injured leg, so her knees slumped forward as if she were unconscious or asleep. The strength of his arms around her waist was enough, though.

We stayed there for a long time.

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A/N: In a **REVIEW**, tell me what it was you liked about this chapter. I appreciate all reviews, just knowing that you guys took the time out to write a response to my fic is good enough for me, but I ESPECIALLY appreciate reviews that are helpful and specific. Thank you! Additionally, I apologize for any grammar or plot errors there might have been.


	9. Plaguing Nightmares

A/N: Kay, this is like the tiniest chapter ever to exist, but it's a bit meaningful. And depressing. Wow, I didn't mean for this story to take such a dramatic turn. But none of the coming chapters will be as dramatic, I don't think. But hey, you never know. Anyhoo, (it's weird that I said that, because I usually hate it when people say that,) thank you to my readers! I never would've kept going with this fic without you!

Disclaimer: I sooooooo don't own Digimon. Period. It's kind of weird that we say, 'period', and then put a period after it.

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"Sora," Tai looked at me meaningfully. "I want to thank you."

I raised my eyebrows, but remained silent.

"For saving my sister," he continued.

We were still in front of the burnt down building. "No problem," I answered. It seemed like too casual of a response for the situation, but it was all I could come up with. Kari was in Tai's arms, but she really was asleep this time. The paramedics had tended to her broken leg, and she then sported a cast.

Tai smiled faintly and said, "I'll drive you home."

"Thank you," I replied. We walked to the car, and he settled Kari into the backseat. I took my place on the passenger's side. Tai circled back to the driver's spot, and got in.

While we drove, I asked Tai questions.

"What was that building anyway?" I wondered aloud as I directed Tai to my home.

"It was where Matt's concert was taking place. Kari was watching him play when the fire started, and everyone began evacuating."

"So that was what Matt was explaining to you over the phone back at the park," I realized.

"Yes," Tai responded solemnly.

"Does anyone know how the fire started?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Maybe arsonists."

I nodded lightly, and turned to look at Kari in the backseat. "She looks peaceful now."

Tai told me, "Yeah, but no doubt she'll be having plaguing nightmares from here on."

I frowned with dispirited, saddened eyes. So would I.

It wasn't long until the drive was over, and we had reached my apartment. I thanked Tai, and climbed walked slowly to the elevator.

When I got to my apartment, I opened the door, greeted my mother, and trudged to my room. Collapsing on my bed, I began to cry silently.

What a monster I had become. To think, I had almost killed a girl.

I drifted in and out of sleep, having repetitive dreams of the fire.

In a couple of them, I failed to save Kari.

No, that was a lie. In a couple of them, I let Kari die. All for my own ridiculous, selfish reasons. What would people think of me if they had had access to my thoughts through those very moments?

I knew the answer. They would think the exact same thing I was thinking of myself right now.

Closing my eyes once more, I prayed for a dreamless sleep, though I wasn't a religious person.

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A/N: **_PLEASE READ THIS!!!!_** Sooooooo, your response? How was it? Please please leave a review, I love them. Oh, and I'd like your feedback on something. Does anybody who reads this like Kingdom Hearts? I've never actually played through the games, so I don't know the plot, but I really want to start an AU multi-chapter fanfiction for Kingdom Hearts! Is that crazy of me? Okay, thanks!


	10. For the Better

A/N: Okay, I know this update is late. I'm sorry. You know, I had a lot going on during the holidays, but now that's pretty much over, so I'll start updating regularily again. Read on!

Disclaimer: I certrainly do not own Digimon. It makes me sad.

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The dynamic of our relationship had changed since the fire. I could tell this, though it was the first time we had seen each other since the incident.

I was walking through the streets of Odaiba, alone, a week later. It had been awhile since I had taken a walk, and I figured it would be a good was to clear my head.

That was when I ran into him yet again. It seemed we could never plan to get together. It had to be accidental. I liked that, though. It was like fate was pulling us together.

Tai looked up and saw me, motionless and staring at him. When he began to approach me, I smiled slightly.

"How're you?" he asked.

"Good. How are you?" I asked in response.

Tai considered it, then nodded. "Good. Kari's good too. Her leg's better."

"That's…good." I said again, for lack of a better word.

"It's hard though, now that everyone's back in school," he continued.

That was true. School had started again. It must've been tough for Kari to maneuver through the crowds of students at her school. It's always hard to get around with an injury. They just make everything difficult.

We resumed walking again, this time in the same direction.

Just then, I twisted my ankle and slipped off the curb, into the street. The asphalt was cold. I scrambled to get up. And then, it was another nightmare.

A car was approaching, honking crazily and swerving in this way and that, trying to avoid me.

Tai pulled me up quickly, and caught my weight in his arms. Dragging me quickly to safety, I felt him carry me as far from the road as possible.

From then on, he walked nearer to me, and he was on the roadside.

I realized that he had become more protective of me since the fire.

Our walk continued. I wasn't sure where we were going anymore, but it was nice just to be with Tai.

After minutes of silence, we turned a corner, and came to a surprising sight.

In front of us, were Mimi and Matt, completely making out.

When Tai cleared his throat, they jumped apart.

Matt rubbed the back of his head. "I was testing…to make sure…she brushed her teeth?" Mimi glared at him for not thinking of a better excuse.

Tai and I just laughed. "It's okay," Tai said. "We were wondering when this would happen."

"Seriously?" Matt asked.

"Yeah," I nodded. There was a brief silence. "Alright, Tai and I will go. You two…just have fun."

Our walk began itself once again. Tai called over his shoulder, "Use a condom, kiddies!"

Matt chuckled while Mimi sighed.

It seemed that it was a clumsy morning for me. I accidentally bumped into a teen of about age fifteen.

"Hey, watch it!" The boy snapped.

I mumbled an apology, but Tai wasn't having it. "Hey! It was an accident! I think you need to watch your attitude!"

The boy glared at him, but decided that Tai could probably take him in a fight, so kept going by.

Yes, Tai was most definitely more protective of me. Though, I wasn't sure why. I wasn't the one who had almost died.

It was a painful reminder of how I had almost been the cause of Kari's death. But I needed to get past this guilt, and remember that I didn't let it happen in the end.

"You seem a little different," he commented. "Silent."

"You seem different too. You're more protective. Less carefree."

"That's probably true." Tai said. "I did say that I wouldn't be carefree when I had things to worry about. And now I do." **(A/N: Remember when he said that? Yeah, that was foreshadowing.)**

I nodded. It made sense.

However, I still hoped we could all learn something from this. I wasn't sure what yet, but something that would help us return to normal, but not be our same old selves. I knew that a valuable lesson could help us all move on from this traumatic event.

The nightmares had lessened since the first night, but that didn't mean they were completely gone. I thought about telling someone about my snap decision, but I knew anyone who found out would think badly of me, and I really didn't want that.

I was a little bit stuck.

Looking at Tai, I wondered about my feelings for him. They were still ever-present. I had often pondered the nature of my affection; was it just a crush? Right now, I had no idea, and there was too much fogging up my head to make clear decisions at that moment.

I thought back to that park, and the seconds leading up to our almost-kiss.

That took me back through the minutes before, which led to the days before. Soon, I was dwelling on all the time I had known Tai, and how he had changed me.

There was one decision I could make right then; it had been for the better.

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A/N: There it is! I hope there weren't any grammar or spelling mistakes! Please, please, for the life of me, please REVIEW!!! It makes me happy :)


	11. Run Into You

A/N: I'm writing this to say that I suck. Utterly and completely, I suck. My computer crashed, but luckily I hadn't actually written this chapter yet, so nothing was lost. It took me a month to get up and running again. I apologize greatly for the wait, though I know some authors make their readers wait longer for the completion of fanfiction. Still, the guilt bothers me, because I know I hate it when other authors do the same thing I did, and have such delays in updating. And so, I offer you the final chapter of Run Into You.

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Days, on days, on days of bore.

Okay, so maybe 'bore' wasn't the right noun. I just needed to come up with a way to occupy myself. For instance, I could read, watch TV, play soccer.

Anything to distract myself.

The nightmares had stopped, mercifully. Also, they had ended on a rather good note, on one in which I saved Kari successfully. However, I was still followed by a disturbing thought: was a burgeoning evil taking hold of me?

I told myself to stop it. I was thoroughly exaggerating the situation. After all, I'm only human. We have a definite imperfection to us. I knew I needed to hone the small amout of perfection in me so I could be the best human possible, throughout life.

I liked to think that I had gained a certain intelligence from the encounter with fire - and if not that, then an enhanced appreciation for life. I no longer took the little things for granted, seeing as those things could change so fast.

The days continued relentlessly, and I realized I hadn't spoken to Tai in almost a month. It's not that I didn't want to, I certainly did. I just hadn't put in the effort. Or maybe I just liked that we never agreed on a meeting, and instead met through coincidence.

The coincidence came.

We were down at the soccer field once again. It seemed that everything significant that happened between us usually occurred on this soccer field.

I liked that, because I liked soccer.

This time, I wasn't the first to reach the field. When I was approaching the grass, I noticed Tai, stretched out and reclining with his hands behind his head.

I smiled. "Are your carefree days coming back?"

He returned the gesture. "I hope so. I liked those days."

"Me too," I said.

"Kari's walking normally again," Tai mentioned, "She's fully regained use of her leg."

"That's good to hear," I replied genuinely. I had worried about the girl's health.

We sat in silence for a bit, but it wasn't like one of those awkward silences in which your thoughts are empty and you have nothing to say, but you search and search for something anyway. It was comfortable.

I pondered how Tai really was the source of my happiness. I wasn't completely dependent on him for enjoyment of life...but he sure helped.

We really had something between us. I hoped he sensed it too.

Then, I remembered the fire, and the incident in which I had almost...what was it again?Oh yeah, been the cause of Kari's death.

I didn't deserve him.

But to redeem what little sense of self I had, I made the decision to come clean.

"Tai?" My voice was suddenly frail.

"Sora?" He asked back worriedly.

"I need to tell you something." I needed to tell him. I needed to be strong. I needed to remember to breathe. I needed to be free.

"First of all, I love you." I hadn't planned for it to come out that way, but I knew the statement was wholly true. "Second of all, before the fire, I was under the impression that Kari was your girlfriend. And, last..." I hadn't checked for a reaction. I was afraid that what I might see would discourage me, and I would stop in my tracks. I took a deep breath and continued my confession and declaration. "...Last...back, during the fire...I considered...leaving Kari."

I couldn't help it. I checked Tai's face.

He was not looking at me. He was staring straight forward, his head tilted slightly. "She would've been to die?"

"Yes." I could hear the guilt and patheticalness in my one word.

Then, miraculously and inexplicably, he smiled. "You love me?" His tone was giddy and realizationary. **(A/N: Yes, I know that's not a real word, but it is very late at night as I am writing this and my brain isn't working too sharply, if you know what I mean. Forgive me :P)**

"Yes," I repeated.

"Just checking."

The grin remained.

"Why are you smiling?" I burst out. "I almost left your sister for dead! Because of my own selfishness!"

That was it. I had ruined whatever fractional chances I had with Tai.

He stood up, as did I. "Exactly! Sora, do you know what that means? It means that you love me enough that you were willing to do _anything_ to be able to be with me."

"And you're totally okay with that kind of savagery?!" I was bewildered and confused.

He laughed. "I can appreciate it. Just don't...actually kill my sister to prove that, alright?"

I shook my head furiously. "I won't," I assured. "But, Tai...I was so...evil. I might've actually...let her die."

Tai held up one finger to stop me in my speech. "But you didn't. And, what's even more, you realized how despicable that was right after the thought occurred to you. Am I right?"

"Yes, you are."

"I thought so."

"You're actually just going to accept that I almost killed Kari?" I questioned.

"Aren't you?" he asked in return.

My shoulders dropped, and I said nothing.

"Sora, don't you think you should move on? If you spend too much time dwelling on what could've happened, you'll never look forward, at the future," Tai tried to convince me.

I paused. "Really? Just forget?"

"Not forget."

"Then what?" I asked.

Tai resumed the smile that fit so well on his face. "Sora, you need to learn to forgive yourself." And then, I knew that was the lesson I needed to learn so badly, to forgive what I had so nearly done, and move on. "You didn't kill Kari," Tai continued. "You're better than that. Much better."

And with that, he kissed me.

When we broke apart, he kept close to me and said, "And just for the record, I love you too."

FIN.

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A/N: Oh my god! What an amzing ride this was. Was that an okay conclusion to the fic? Tell me so! In a REVIEW. Yay! And also, I'd love it if reviewers would include their favorite part of the story, so I know what touched them, what made them laugh, what my best work was. Thanks! I feel so greatful for this opportunity, it's the first ever multi-chapter fanfic I've ever finished. I think that I've learned from the whole experience, from my writing, and from my readers. Thanks so much!! You've really taught me something about commitment, happiness, diligence, and life in general. What can I say? You're just great.


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